Many American mothers who work will tell you: If they had a choice, they would like to work fewer hours outside the home. But according to a new press release, part-time work or stay-at-home parenting is far from ideal – at least from the standpoint of a mother’s long term health.

The study in question is unpublished, so I can’t tell you the details. According to the press release, Adrianne Frech and Sarah Damaske tracked 2540 American women who became mothers between 1978 and 1995. The researchers found that women who returned to full time work “shortly after having children” were more likely to report better mental and physical health at age 40.

It’s not clear from the press release what is meant by “shortly after having children,” but from the context I’m guessing it means something like “within months, rather than years, of giving birth.”

Why should mothers who work full time have better health? Frech offers many plausible explanations.

“Work is good for your health, both mentally and physically,” Frech says. “It gives women a sense of purpose, self-efficacy, control and autonomy. They have a place where they are an expert on something, and they’re paid a wage.”

And if we look at moms with only part-time employment, we find women coping with the stresses of lower-paying jobs that offer little job security and few benefits.

“Struggling to hold onto a job or being in constant job search mode wears on their health, especially mentally, but also physically,” says Frech. She also notes that stay-at-home mothers may find themselves socially isolated and lacking financial independence.

These are good points. Modern stay-at-home parenting has become very socially isolated, and I don’t think humans are mentally or emotionally equipped to cope well with that isolation.

I’m also sure there are many parents – mothers and fathers — who are stressed by the job insecurity and low pay associated with part time work.

And what about the obvious? Parents who work part-time may lack the financial resources to take care of their health.

But I’m bothered by the implications of another statement Frech makes — some advice she offers women:

“Don’t let critical life transitions like marriage and parenthood mean that you invest any less in your education and work aspirations, because women are the ones who end up making more trade-offs for family” Frech says. “Work makes you healthier. You will have the opportunity to save a nest egg. Also, should a divorce happen, it is harder to enter the workforce if you don’t have a solid work history. Don’t give up on work and education.”

I agree that people should think about these issues before making important life decisions. But given that we all have limited time and energy, the phrase “don’t invest any less in your work aspirations” seems to mean “don’t invest more in parenting at home.” If working only part-time is detrimental to health, does that mean we have no good reason to spend more time with our kids?

In fact, many parents of both gender want to be more involved in their children’s daily lives. They believe it’s an important part of the human experience – having more time for family. They also believe it makes a positive difference in their children’s lives. If I think of my own childhood — at the point in our lives when my single mother had to work full-time outside the home — I remember missed opportunities. These missed opportunities distressed my mother, and it was abundantly clear: Our family was worse off for them.

So I don’t see this as a women’s issue. I see this as a parents’ issue. I know a number of couples who are trying to solve the problem in an egalitarian way, each partner making career sacrifices so their young children can have more time with their parents at home. Some men are giving up financial opportunities and career advancement so they can stay at home with their kids. Are these parents misguided? Because financial pressures will have a negative impact on their health? Or are they investing in something more important? It’s a worthy question.

58 Responses to Study: Moms who work full-time are healthier…which means what?

Mom’s who work full time usually have the option of sending the kids to daycare when the parent is sick. This gives her the time to rest and recover. Alone. Often mom’s who work part time, do so to be home during the day with the kids. Unfortunately, little ones usually don’t understand “Mommy’s sick.” When you’re taking care of gremlins and keeping the house still standing, recovery time is longer.

Megsays:

August 20, 2012 at 7:59 am

As a full time, working, divorced mother of a 5 year old and a 4 year old, I have to dissagree with being able to send the kids to daycare in order to recover. I spend so many of my days off dealing with my children’s illnesses and other obligations such as daycare closing, that I don’t have the sick time to take off when I am sick. I still go to work and than have to come home, cook dinner, baths, books, cleaning, ect that I otherwise do with noone home to relieve me. So I don’t believe that is the reason.

What it might be is that I am lucky enough to be able to go to the gym at lunch. I eat healthier than being home all day surrounded by kid’s somewhat less healthy food choices and I believe the socialization keeps people healthier in general. Who knows though, it could also be the super immunity I have built up from the kids being exposed to daycare germs since they were babies.

Mindysays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:12 am

I am not understanding why this article is saying sahm are socially isolated?? I have been a sahm for 3 years and work part time now, but I have never felt that way. I have always socialized the kids a ton and socialize myself a lot as well. Every other sahm I know have done the same thing whether it is socializing with other moms at the park or playdates or having a moms day out with other people. Where did they get this info? Also the working moms usually use their sick time for their kids so they sonetimes go to work sick. I am not sure why their are articles like this comparing wohm and sahm. It is both hard in different ways. Is anyone else tired of this too?

Mindysays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:14 am

Sorry about spelling errors. I am on my phone.

Brittanysays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:16 am

What exactly are they trying to point out? That mom’s should not stay home/ work part time to be there more for their kids? What exactly was the point of the study? Does it go further to reveal that kids are sicker due exposure to illness from infancy in daycare/ babysitters. Does it beg the question of cancers that can be prevented by the ability to breastfeed for an extended amount of time without the worries of going back to work. There are pluses and minuses to both situations quit placing more strain between stay at home moms and working moms as if the stupid mommy wars weren’t bad enough studies like these keep pitting us against each other instead of teaching us to raise each other up!

Sarahsays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:17 am

Well this makes a little sense to me. I’m a stay at home and I must say, it is physically and mentally draining. I just recently took a part-time job at night (so we wouldn’t have to send the kids to daycare) and it is a huge stress reliever. I’m enjoying the solitude even though I’m surrounded by chaos at work. So, yes, I can see where stay at home moms might be in worse shape mentally and physically. It’s an extremly demanding job. Also, it’s harder to go the to the doctor as a stay at home mom with young kids. You either have to take them with you or find a sitter and it’s a pain in the butt.

Emssays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:18 am

I guess I don’t necessarily believe any ‘scientific research’ needs to prove that it really is about ATTITUDE, not whether or not one works as a SAHM or works as a VP or any other vocation. Raising kids is the parent’s job period and YES, some sacrifices will need to be made, since ‘raising kids’ means, raising the next generation; raising someone’s husband or wife; raising a president or shopkeeper or teacher and your grandkid’s mother or father–it is simply THE most important job. If one chooses to work as a teacher or VP or whatever, and they need to hire a caregiver, just hire well–they are taking your place for a period of the day–don’t get someone LESS than you, hire someone better and be satisfied with your CHOICE. So it becomes about ATTITUDE and BALANCE and PEACE with choices.

sabrinasays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:21 am

I find this incredibly insulting. Not to mention NOWHERE in this article does it mention the effect it has on the kids. Studies show the benefits intellectually and physically on the kids when they have a stay at home parent. It seems many are all too ready to put themselves before their kids in America. I work part time, and i can tell you that my time at home is WAY harder than the work i get monetary payment for. And Im sorry..but I dont’ need some stupid paycheck to feel “worth something”.

Krissays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:23 am

Completely agree with Meg. I don’t have the luxury of alone time to recover because I have to save all of my sick days for my son’s sicknesses, emergencies, school closings, etc. If my child is at daycare, I am at work, no matter how I feel.

And I tend to get every single cold that comes through the daycare right along with my child, so I’m not sure I even agree with the working moms being healthier. Between working full-time and taking care of my son and the household chores, I feel exhausted all of the time.

I wish this article didn’t focus on this working mom vs. SAH mom thing because I feel like there is such a divide and this is just going to make it worse. I feel like SAH moms accuse me all of the time of not being a real mom and having things easier, and I’m willing to bet SAH moms feel attacked by working moms too.

I think we all need to realize we are all moms first and stop trying to say which is better. We all do what we have to for the best of our family.

Raising people is stressful- of course it’ll be easier on you to focus on yourself and a job that is outside of your constant daily struggles. But paying someone else, or an institution, to do a mother’s job because she has other plans is ..gross. Normal, selfish, gross.
Women are capable of working outside the home but not in the place of being there for the kids they brought into the world in the first place. Nothing can compare to a mother’s touch, advice and love. Women are equipped with the bodies, minds and hearts to take care of our offspring FULLTIME. This is why we have breasts, compassion, empathy and the ability to multitask.

I would never pay anyone to raise my children so I can make a little extra lol

I can see where they are coming from, from strictly a medical – focus on the woman – aspect. Being a full time stay at home mom for many women in this day and age is very stressful and the “purpose” part time work gives can be a great freedom. But you have to balance not only the side of the parent, but the children as well, like a previous person said, being in day care means more illness for the children, which means more stress for the family.

I think that in the right situation this is true (as I can easily attest to the affect not working out of the home this last year has been on me), but the choice of having children comes with some sacrifice on the part of parents – and the research is VERY clear that children home with their parents for the first few years of the their life is the best for their social and brain development (not to say there aren’t exceptions….)

Regardless of this study’s findings, I think that the debate of to work outside of the home or not will always be there.

I so agree with this study .i have an 18 month old and now a 4 week old baby.i have not been to work in 2 years plus and i am so sick of being home i would got so stressed and lost weight fast after having my first child . I’m 29 years old and have been working since i was 14 i hate staying home all day dealing with kids i would love to come home to them a bath them and do dinner but running after them all day wears me out .,

Bridget Hoehnesays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:29 am

For me, I have to work to be able to contribute to the financial structure of our house hold. I do not think we could afford for me to stay at home, especially because that is how we have health insurance is through my job. So it does not feel like a choice. And I feel that I am sick quite a bit. I agree with Meg, i have to save my sick time in case my little one gets sick. One thing that I feel that could be happening in this country are some basic laws that go above FMLA that will give working families some time off for children’s illness. My co-workers get upset that I have to come to work sick. I have no choice b/c I have to be able to use my sick time for when my son is sick. It is a sad state of affairs that maternity leave is only three months and that companies are not required to pay compensation. Maybe if working moms were given more time off after the birth of their child with some compensation the whole family would be more mentally and physically healthy. We could breast feed longer and more completely (milk supply goes down when moms return to work) that will build up the child immune system too requiring less time off for mom!

Aletasays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:30 am

I think this makes a lot of sense and no it is not a “parents” issue. Men make more money and have less stress when it comes to the tasks of raising children. And if divorce does happen the man has been out of the house earning so now Mom is left with no real work skills and no way to support the children she is now the sole provider for. I would love to be home with my Son, but I would never give up the feeling I get when I KNOW I can support him both emotionally and finacially by myself!!!!!!!!!

noelsays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:35 am

What is meant by “healthier”? The get the flu less often? The live x number of years longer? They are less likely to get cancer? They’re less likely to have high blood pressure? ???

“Healthier” is a very generic and non-descriptive word in this instance.

Further, were all of the mothers in the same socio-economic group? Because other research indicates that the richer you are the healthier you are (and healthier was defined by serious illnesses and longevity). Did all the working mothers have the same types of jobs with the same types of physical demands the stay at home moms had? Did all the stay at home mothers have the same number of children, similar support system (cooperative spouse, parent, etc.), similar activities outside of the home w/and w/o the children (gym, mommy & me, etc.) that the working mothers had? Were all of the mothers in the same state of health when they became pregnant, and did they do so at the same age with each and every pregnancy? Did all the mothers receive the same type of medical care and with the same frequency before and after children?

Unless the answer to all of these questions and more is “yes”, I believe there are far too many variables in this comparison of working mothers v. stay at home mothers to be anything other than a wild guess.

@ sabrina: “NOWHERE in this article does it mention the effect it has on the kids.” You seem to have missed the second half of this post.

@ Mindy: I (not “they”) am talking about taking an anthropological perspective on mothers’ social lives. In hunter-gatherer societies, neighbors are more involved in each other’s daily lives, and parents get more daily interaction with other adults. They can work while their kids run amok in multi-age playgroups. See my previous post: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/when-daycare-was-run-by-kids/

roxysays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:56 am

i agree yet disagree with all thats being said. i love being financially stable and having the money to spend on my child and still being able to pay the bills. but i wouldnt say im healthier because of it. there will always be some amounts of stress at work and at home. im a mother of a 6 month old and i went to work 2 months after having her. i wish i had more time to be with her at home. i would really love to be there and not miss anything. so this causes me stress as well. i think what we need is higher paying part time jobs. but that would be too easy!!! i dont feel healthier or sicker by having a full time job. i do feel sad at times for having someone else watch my child and missing out on milestones. but i do feel happy to know what i can provide her with what she needs to be a healthy child because i can afford it. my opinion is it can go either way.

Christysays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:56 am

All of the things in this article may be true, but as a SAHM, all it really does for me is to remind me to take better care of myself, not that I need to go work. You can be healthy and stay at home. It may take better time management and an awareness of your own needs, but it can be done. Also, I honestly care more about my kids than myself, and I think me being at home is what is best for them, and if that requires me giving my body as a “living sacrifice,” that’s okay. I’m not speaking for anyone else’s kids, mind you… Just mine.

Kelleesays:

August 20, 2012 at 9:56 am

I was promised by my company that I could work from home after my baby was born and at 7 weeks they said they wanted me back in the office. I had a decision to make and I chose to stay at home. I am 40 yrs old and I have had a successful career but it also comes with a ton of stress. Stress that is bad for my health, high BP, anxiety etc. I have never felt better or healthier! I now run every day and I have time to eat healthy instead of on the run fast foods. So there is another side to this. I also made a decision to put my child first and live with less. It’s hard financially but the pros outweigh the cons.

vt mommasays:

August 20, 2012 at 10:22 am

Bridget I completely agree with you about FMLA or lack thereof. When I went back to work my milk supply decreased so fast! I don’t know how I made it a year. I work 30 hrs a week, it breaks down to three, 10 hr days. I get 4 out of 7 days with my son and it is pretty close to perfect for our family. I had extended pp depression and when I wasn’t working nearly as much I found myself really depressed, didn’t stay on a schedule and therefore less productive. But I know lots of mothers that do fine with staying at home all the time. I feel like my pp haze has finally lifted now and staying at home everyday would be the most beneficial for my son. Unfortunately, I do have to work some now. But its only part time and my son is with grandmothers so I feel fine about the whole situation. If I had to take CTO time off everytime my son had a fever or cold I would have problems. I am very fortunate for my family. If parents were given an alotted number of sick days off for their children I believe it would make for a healthier family.

Ambersays:

August 20, 2012 at 10:33 am

I am a full time working mom, and I love it! Besides the fact that we can not financially afford for me to stay home, I would not make a good stay at home mom. I love the time I get to spend with my little guy and my husband. I also love the time I get to spend with my patients. I guess it is what works for that person and that family and makes everyone happy!

Kafsays:

August 20, 2012 at 10:34 am

I would have to disagree! I worked for the first 7 years of my daughter’s life and wwhen I became pregnant again my husband and I decided. That I should stay at home. I am the healthiest and happiest I have ever been. I don’t have to balance work and home. I eat waht I want because I have time to cook healthy. I can see my friends. And not feel guilty leaving my kids because I know I spend plenty of time with them. I am constaly running around after the little ones. I have 3 under 20 months! I was so stressed and unhappy when I was working I felt like I should have been home for my daughter. Work outside the home stressed my out way more than work in the home. Now my husband helps out. When he is home but he works a lot but I don’t know if that makes a difference. Having a partner in kid raising raTher than ome who expects the SAHM to do everything all the time. My husband and I don’t do 50-50 because I am home more but he definelty pulls his fair share.

Kafsays:

August 20, 2012 at 10:39 am

I am sorry about the grammatical and spelling errors. I was on my phone.

Milisays:

August 20, 2012 at 10:55 am

I am a stay at home Mom and I find this article pretty disturbing !! I dont think I am mentally restless or not socializing as I should.. Yes of coarse it would be nice to have some extra income but in no way do i agree that it could compensate my time with my baby during his first year …. those are precious moment and untradeable…. I really love the fact that I have ample time with my baby, seeing him growing up, reaching his milestones and capturing them in my memories… I do prefer to go back to work after about a year when he is grown up enough to go to School … But this time is priceless and no pay check can compensate that with this time spent with my baby … My husband and I socialize a lot in our circle and also we have a decent single income to survive…. These are different choices and am sure each one is as hard as the other …. none is better than the other and this kind of comparison is nothing but stupid

Misays:

August 20, 2012 at 11:29 am

I dont usually comment on these articles but this one so deeply bothers me!
I am a SAHM for 3 years now, and I know I am healthier than my working SIL.
SIL has little to no time with her daughter, and is often depressed that she misses things like first steps, and first words. She does not eat healthier because she is eats whatever is fast and easy and available to her on her lunch breaks. Even her marriage struggles because they are both so tired from work they argue over who should care for baby at what time, and often their sex life struggles ( I know this because she confides in me how difficult things have become for her since returning to work.)
I on the other hand make healthy choices for myself because Im setting healthy examples for my child and neice that I baby sit. I move around more because Im constantly playing with a toddler and an infant and still finding time to keep my house clean and organized. I have a healthier relationship with my hubby because we never argue about who should take care of the baby, and when he has his days off he wants to spend time playing with his daughter, and I can rest, and we are both happier for it. I have financial freedom because I make my own money baby sitting and my hubby has never told me I cant spend money, thats why I have my own bank card. I am not isolated because I have a car, and money and freinds, I have more time to take the girls and go on playdates whil spending time with other moms, than my working SIL.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with going to work, but there is nothing “unhealthy” about being a SAHM unless your a lazy parent.

msays:

August 20, 2012 at 11:34 am

The study the article cited indicates mothers’ reports about their health. It doesn’t say anything about work CAUSING better health, just that mothers who worked REPORT better health. I think the author jumped the gun on writing this article, since there was no way to know much, only guess about what might be happening based on a press release. I would wait for the full study to be published before giving the article above another thought.

I have to say that everyone’s situation (including financial situation, children’s disposition, number of children, and personal strengths) is different, so a one-size-fits-all model for motherhood is silly. I happen to be a mom that works full-time, and while I wish sometimes I could afford to stay at home, I am glad I am able to show my son and stepdaughter (and my baby on the way!) that women can be moms and have careers too if that is what they want and can afford to do. I have known moms who are better parents BECAUSE they work, because they resent a lot of the day-to-day business of staying home with their kids. I have also known SAHMs who shun working moms because they think it is the wrong choice for all children. Finally, I know some fantastic SAHMs who are lucky enough to be staying home with their kids because that is what they WANT to be doing. It is possible that one’s health is somewhat related to their situation, but that’s beyond the study the article above is referring to.

No surprise this study is unpublished, let alone published in a reputable journal. As a SAHM I enjoy working out 3x/week and I cook almost all of our very healthy meals – no need for lots of takeout and prepared foods. I also get plenty of sleep.

Also, staying at home is not at all socially isolating. I have several very good SAHM friends for play dates, and with social media these days staying home is, if anything, *less* socially isolating than it must have been in the 1950s. If “office culture” is being considered the cure for a “socially isolating” life “staying home” (as if we spend that much time at home), I’ll definitely pass.

Jamiesays:

August 20, 2012 at 11:36 am

This article frustrates me, as most SAHM vs. working mom debates do. I certainly agree that being socially isolated is a recipe for disaster, but I am a SAHM and feel more social now then I did as a working woman, before children. Again, it’s all situational and dependent on each woman, but it’s disheartening to read these types of articles and feel (once again) that we, as women and mothers, have to constantly defend our choices, day in and day out. No one is right, no one is wrong, each person does the best for his or her family.

Kristensays:

August 20, 2012 at 11:36 am

I work part time from home. It is stressful trying to juggle all the demands. But I wouldn’t trade one minute of time with my son for a higher paying job (which I used to have) or career advancement. He’s only little once and I want to enjoy this time with him. I LOVE what I do. Working part time helps me “keep my foot in the door” if I ever want to go back to a “regular job.” I think how the mom copes depends on why the mom chooses to stay home, her social support and the support from her spouse.

Jessisays:

August 20, 2012 at 12:03 pm

I am assuming that SAHM’s are not dropping over dead in mass numbers, nor are they being admitted in large groups for mental health issues (although depression is definitely higher in this group–be aware and be kind!). I am curious what the discrepancy is between the two groups.

And I also find the timeline a little problematic. My mom had me in 1977 and was much more isolated than I am without the technology, societal awareness of the challenges associated with motherhood, and social supports that I have access to. Her experience in 1977 was much different than mine in 2009.

Imagine if we did what every study told us to do for “improved health.” Drink 8 glasses of water a day, excercise 3-5x/week for at least 30 min, sleep 9 hours/night, don’t use the microwave, eat everything organic, have sex 2/week, drink gallons of green tea, mediatate hourly, don’t eggs–never mind, now you can eat eggs,go back in time and make sure your mother breastfed you.

I will take from this Christy’s point–make sure to take better care of myself. With 1 and 3 year old sons, at least I get my wrestling in–cardio and flexibility combined!

Marie Coesays:

August 20, 2012 at 12:04 pm

I think it is entirely dependent on what field you are in. For example if you are in a job where your hours are kept strict and you are not required to automatically do overtime easily turning a 33 hour week into a 50 hour week. I work part time and in my field which for me still can add up to 20-25 hours a week occasionally pushing 30. So I think it is job dependant and other obligations dependant. I agree that stay at home moms are extremely isolated. They loose touch with reality and do not realize that those of us who work have to do the same crap they do in a shorter amount of time to do it. I think the other thing is that working mom’s sometimes have better time managment skills. As for illness and Daycare problems eating sick days,I would change daycare arrangments if they closed that easily. Sick issues, usually not that often, most of the time it’s maybe a day or so. When I’m sick, honestly I’m sick with something non-contagious so no point in staying home anyhow.

CHRISTINA MONSONsays:

August 20, 2012 at 12:07 pm

The problem with new studies and statistics are that they have a bad habit of supporting the answers they want… it is only with additional independent studies looking to disprove the initial hypothesis that result can truly be confirmed or disregarded. However, allowing that there must be SOME evidence to support the conclusion, I would say (as a new mother who has always been career oriented until my “surprise” last fall led me to switching to full-time motherhood) that the biggest reason why full-time working mothers may appear to have better physical and mental heath that full-time stay home moms is the increase in “grown-up” time. When you are with your kids non-stop (especially the babies) then it is really easy to slip into poor eating habits (grab as you can when the kids are napping or on the go), to be more sedentary when you do have down time and you are less likely to make those plans for happy hour with the ladies or a movie with friends… your kids become your whole center and you can lose sight that there is a world outside of Sesame Street and Mickey Mouse Playhouse. I know I’ve fallen into that and I’m starting to burn out. I’ve gained 30lbs. since delivery and old injuries in my knee and ankle are flaring up like crazy. Not to mention I sometimes feel like I’m going crazy when I can’t even remember my internet passwords but I can sing all of the “Hot Dog Dance” by heart. So the trick (as hard as it is) is for full-time stay home moms to do what full-time working moms already do… TAKE A BREAK! Find that relative or friend who’s been offering to babysit since before delivery and take them up on it for a couple of hours. Go get a pedicure. Watch a movie. Call a friend and meet for lunch. Just like when you own your own business, as a stay home mom, you need to remember to take care of your #1 employee… yourself.

Megsays:

August 20, 2012 at 12:20 pm

I hope nothing I said stirred up the working vs stay at home moms. It was not my intention. There are things that are easier for me as a work outside the home mom. Like I said, I exercise at least 5 days a week because I have that time at lunch. When I am with my kids all weekend, we are out playing but there is no way I get my weights or running in. There are also things that are easier for a stay at home mom. If you have school age kids, you can clean, cook, shop or exercise without kids in tow. In my opinion there are enough benefits and drawbacks to both sides that there really shouldn’t be a debate. Raising kids is hard no matter how it is done.
To the people who call working moms “selfish”. I am far from it. We each do what we need to do for our family and for the majority of us, we do NOT work for luxuries, we work for food and medicine and schooling. Just to clarify, I breastfed my daughter for a full year even though I got pregnant when she was three months old and back at work and I extended breast fed my son until he was two and a half. After work I am outside playing for an hour, while the crockpot cooks a healthy dinner,they are read two books each, bathed and cuddled. Trust me, they do not lack in anything. The only selfish thing I do is train for a half marathon in the spring yet I still feel the guilt of taking away time from my kids. Like other posters have said, we need to support each other, NOT call each other names!

Genasays:

August 20, 2012 at 12:36 pm

As a sahm I make the choice to find my worth and value at home with my family. I am confident that they value me and what I do at home. I work hard to make my home a fun, loving, and peaceful place for everyone. My value is not dependent (nor is my husbands or our kids) on a dollar amount. People are worth more than a paycheck (big or small). Its danerous for anyone to find their self worth in a j-o-b. At work, they can replace you in a couple days (maybe a week, maybe a month depending on the job), but at home your irreplaceable! Everyone has an extremely important role in the home. I am interested in this study because I know it will have some big holes in it. Please keep us posted.

CHRISTINA MONSONsays:

August 20, 2012 at 12:57 pm

I think the biggest problem we face is defining “job” with paycheck. The two are not synonymous. I feel very blessed that my husband just landed a full time position that will allow for me to stay home and raise our kids. I tried to pick back up one of my regular gigs (I have been a professional stage manager and stage hand for the past few years)this past spring and found it very much like trying to work 2 full time jobs… I ended up letting things slide on both ends. I applaud those women who have the ability to juggle both. But to make out like WM care any less for their children or that SAHMs care any more is ridiculous. For myself, my time home will be spent in the role of Day Care supervisor until they are school aged and Teacher when they are older. (I won’t even count personal chef or maid because we all do that.) What it comes down to is personnel management… Regardless of if it best benefits our families to hire outside contractors for those positions, allowing for a higher monetary position for the family (and any of you who say that money is unimportant either have GREAT single income situations or are just plain unrealistic) through an external career or if it makes more sense/ is more feasible to keep it in-house… either way, the family’s needs are being met and we all do the best we can with the situation set before us. My mother worked full time and all 5 of us grew up just fine. My grandmother stayed home until all 6 of her kids were out of the house… and they grew up just fine. We need to respect one another’s career choices no matter where our “place of work” happens to be… in the home or in an office.

K10says:

August 20, 2012 at 1:30 pm

Sorry, but I have a very strong “sense of purpose” as a stay at home mom! And I still have “control and autonomy” over my life and how my home is run. I am the resident “expert” when it comes to my kids – and the only wage I need right now is a happy, healthy, smart, loving little child that I love with all my heart. This study is completely STUPID!!! I don’t look down on ANYONE that works outside the home – I just feel SO blessed to have the opportunity to be with my kids 24/7. If you want to work, then work — without guilt! If you want to stay home, then stay home — without feeling ‘less than’. But don’t try and tell me that raising my kids is bad for my health… HOGWASH!!!

Mandysays:

August 20, 2012 at 1:45 pm

I believe this would be true for me if I didn’t work. I pack a nice healthy lunch, socialize with adults, etc. when I’m at work. I think if working is something you want to do, then it’s healthier for you. I’m never going to join a mommy group or do playdates with other moms and kids. Ever. It’s not my thing. So my child having the chance to play with other kids and me having time to be productive and provide in a significant way (not to mention I provide health insurance!) for my family definitely makes us healthier. But I can see that for those who dislike their work or just don’t like/want to work in general, being a SAHM is probably healthier for them.

This is somewhat off-topic, but I wonder why some readers have failed to grasp the point of this article. If you read it, you will see that I present Frech’s claims and then take issue with the implications of Frech’s statements in the press release (which is why, m, I’m writing about the press release itself). Is motherhood impairing people’s reading comprehension? Perhaps folks are angling for an opportunity to participate in some of the new cognitive studies I reported on last week:

I think that the common thread here is that people read the ideas posited here and apply them to their lives, and the lives of people they know. With this article in particular, and with all of Gwen’s articles, it’s important to note that we’re looking at parenting from an anthropological standpoint, over thousands of years of human history. Although the sample size of the experiment is small, the ideas of their effects are broad, and not immediate. It’s an experiment, and not a conclusion. There are few absolute conclusions in science, and social science is an especially tricky business. Not everyone experiences parenthood in the same way, and nor should they. This is about patterns.

I have worked and now stay home with my kids, and may work outside of the home again soon. I have found it difficult to socialize, not because I’m somehow incapable, but because a day is structured around what they need, naptimes and meals and bedtimes and so forth. What Christina Monson and Marie Coe have said reinforces my first thought; are we talking “job” or “career”? Personally, I would find a job in my career more fulfilling than a job just to pay the bills, and I wonder where that factors in in this study. Is it the job, or the job satisfacton?

I have been a stay at home mum for nine yrs because i chose to be!! and i can honestly your findings are rubbish iam still healthy, walk everyday with my pram!! everyone feels socialy deprovated whether you are a w/mum or a s.t.a.h mum! we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t i talk to other mum’s when i drop my kids in school, people on the street. shop keepers you just have to make the effort and ppl who come up with these conlusions have usally never exprienced them so how can they judge other ppl based on a few ppls hear say iam a heathly mum stay at home mum of four and very proud of the fact!!!

I completely agree with your statement that staying at home can be socially isolating and that there is also usually less resources when you stay at home to work on yourself. That is the case for myself and I can see how that would lead to less of a healthy lifestyle, emotionally and mentally. We don’t have the village, community setting we once did when we lived as tribes and so now some of us feel very alone.

Dsays:

August 20, 2012 at 6:10 pm

I knew some would be in an up roar over how much better it is for children to be at home with their moms. I am a working mom. I HAVE to work in order to eat (unless we went on government assistance). It’s just nice to hear that there are positive points to being a working mom.

I hear so much about how much better off kids are at home with mom. Blah blah blah. I don’t have that choice. Sorry that SAHMs are upset over this. But, you have to realize that us working moms do hear a lot of criticism too. I love working, don’t get me wrong. I also miss my daughter during the day.

I’d love to read this whole research.

Tanyasays:

August 21, 2012 at 2:50 am

I am a stay at home mum, and I resent the implication that I don’t work full time, simply because I am not receiving an income for the work I do. My day starts at 6am, and ends at 7pm, and if I am lucky I get a two hour rest in the middle. I work full time.
So what should this article really be titled? “Study: Mums who get paid to work full time are healthier”?

Yes, staying at home is socially isolating. I don’t enjoy the company of other mothers – at least, not purely because they’re mothers. If I worked in a field specific to my interests I would probably have friends with similar interests. I have no interest in socialising with most of the mothers at the school gate. We have nothing in common. But I do what I can to socialise through the internet, and I try to give my children a proper upbringing. As Gwen says, the children lose out when they don’t have a primary caregiver there at home with them. That seems more important to me than a ten or twenty year blip in my life when I don’t go out to paid work.

Joannasays:

August 21, 2012 at 5:57 am

I worked full time with my first child and now that we have 2, I will be mostly SAH. I can tell you that this article is 100% accurate. As a working mom, I was desperate to have more time with my family and by 8pm I wanted to die from having to drive in rush hour (while pumping mind you!!), cook dinner, breastfeed, then bathe and bed my child. Now, I’m home and I feel very isolated. I know I’m going to have to make more of an effort to be social and get out. But then the financial independence thing comes up. I don’t feel right going out and spending money that I didn’t earn. I feel guilty that the financial burden falls entirely on my husband. But hey, it’s easier than paying $1600 a month in daycare.

There are pluses and minuses to both, like almost every situation….but I still choose the scenario that is ideal for my children. We are broke as a result but oh well!

msays:

August 21, 2012 at 6:14 am

@Gwen, I don’t know the context in which Frech says what she says. Taken out of context I find her statement does not ring true, but since I have read neither the study nor the press release I am not offended by it. I have a PhD, so I understand the importance of reading an entire study before reading its conclusions or its sound bytes in the form of a press release.

My reading comprehension skills are fine, thanks for asking, but there are many questions I would want answers to before forming an opinion about any study or its conclusions: Why was this study done? What literature does it cite? What methods were used? Who exactly were the participants? Is the study biased against SAHMs? Does the study (and press release) draw conclusions beyond the scope of the study? Who funded the study? Where was it published?

Personally, I find press releases and the media stories which develop from them to frequently be limited and, from time to time, inflammatory. Keep us posted on the publication of the study.

They stay-at-home vs go-out-to-work issue is always a tricky one. Some mothers choose to go back to work. Some have no choice for financial or sanity-based reasons. I imagine that most grown-up children, when asked, would rather that they existed even though their mother went out to work than had never been born. My personal belief is that my children are better brought up by me than in daycare, but some children might be better brought up with a healthy and happy mother who works. As always, Gwen was pretty impartial in her article, and the citation of the abstract of an unpublished study was far more interesting than not knowing about the study at all.

S.says:

August 21, 2012 at 2:33 pm

Doesn’t mention health insurance in the press release – I assume they factored this in as well?

@ m: My reference to “reading comprehension” is about the commentators who seemed to regard this post as an argument in favor of mothers of young children working full time, when it is actually an argument against concluding that full time work is superior merely because a study reports links with better maternal health.

As I’ve already noted, the topic of my post is about the advice the researcher offered in a press release, advice which seemed to consider only the benefits of full-time work and costs of staying at home. That’s an important story because this press release has been picked up and repeated around the web, without any critical commentary. Everyone can read the original press release — I included the link in my post.

As yes, I’ve written other stories about problematic press releases. Sometimes the popular press is wholly responsible for creating misleading impressions. In other cases, the press release itself is to blame. Interested readers can check out some examples here:

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